Spring-frame for velocipedes.



H. A. SHELTON.

' sr-nme FRAME FOB. VELOGIPEDES. I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1911.

1,016,042. 1 Patented Jan. 30,1912.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

15mm W -:0LUMBIA PLANMRAPB 60., WASHINGTON. D. c.

H. A. S HELTON.

SPRING FRAME FOR VELOCIPEDES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT; 7, 1911.

1,016,042. Patented Jan.30,1912.

2 S-HEETS-SHEET 2.

v Mi HENRY ALFRED SHELTON, OF NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

SPRING-FRAME FOR VELOCIPEDES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 7, 1911.

Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

Serial No. 648,017.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY ALFRED SHEL- TON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Northampton, in the county of Northampton, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring -Frames for Velocipedes, and of which the following is a specification.

It has long been recognized as extremely desirable to minimize the vibration imparted from the wheels to the frame and thence to the rider on velocipedes, and especially is this desirable with velocipedes running at high speeds as in the case of those which are motor driven. Frames have consequently been employed in which one or more hinged joints have been provided, with elastic cushions or springs which control the movement of the various portions of the frame around the said hinged joints, and I have previously constructed a spring frame arrangement in which the hinged joint was situated close to the bottom bracket, but I have found that this position of the hinged joint has been unsatisfactory, chiefly owing to the movements imparted to the frame by the action of pedaling which relieves a portion of the weight intermittently from the pedals, and. thus from the actual turning point of the hinge. Now according to the present invention, I divide the framework into two parts, a forward and rearward part, about a line crossing the front lower member of the frame at about the center of its length or slightly nearer the bottom bracket than the said center, and extending through the diagonal tube and through the upper member of the rear forks just below the seat-pillar bracket, and I hinge, by a ball bearing joint, the two parts of the front lower member together, and then I connect the divided members of the forward part of the velocipede framework by means of an inclined rearwardly extending member, and I similarly connect the divided members of the rearward part of the velocipede frame, and between these inclined rearwardly extending members I interpose a resilient cushioning device.

In carrying out the invention, the front lower member of the frame extending between the bottom bracket forwardly to the steering head, is divided at about the center of its length or slightly nearer the bottom bracket than the center of its length, while simultaneously the diagonal tube extending from the seat-pillar bracket to the bottom bracket is also divided. The two parts of" the divided front member are connected together by a joint preferably a ball bearing olnt.

From the forward portion of the front lower member, an inclined member extends rearwardly, is connected to the upper part of the diagonal tube and to the upper partof the rearward downwardly extending tube which passes from the seat-pillar bracket, while a second inclined member extending below the first inclined member is connected to the rear portion of the divided front lower member and is also connected to the rear downwardly extending member which supports the lower rearward fork carrying the axle of the rear wheel; the upper end of the lower part of the diagonal tube connected to the bottom bracket is connected to the second inclined member.

The upper end of the rear part of the frame is constructed to slide relatively to and upon the front part of the frame, and between the rear ends of the first and second inclined members there is located a resilient cushion. This cushion may consist of an air. inflated pad, carried in suitable cups on the first and second inclined members respectively, or may consist of helical or other springs.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the examples of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, whereon- Figure 1 shows so much of a cycle frame in part sectional elevation as will be necessary for the purposes of this specification. Fig. :2 being a vertical transverse section taken through the pneumatic cushioning device, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rear portion of a similar frame, but with metallic springs substituted for the pneumatic cushioning device before mentioned.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the front lower member 1, 2 of the frame extending between the bottom bracket 8 and the steering head 4:, is divided slightly nearer the bottom bracket 3 than the center of its length, and the two parts 1, 2 are connected by means of a ball bearing joint 5, which should be made not of too great a width and should be provided with two ball races on opposite sides, and in order to reduce the width of the said ball bearing, the ball races may be made of difierent-diameters, whereby considerable width is saved over a comparatively large ball bearing joint, which is necessary in such a position and in which the ball races are of similar size. The diagonal tube of the frame is also divided to form the two parts 6, 7, while likewise the upper rear frame is divided into two parts 8, 9; from the part 1 of the front lower member there extends the first inclined member 10, to which the upper part 6 of the diagonal tube is connected, and the end of the member 10 is fixed to the upper part 8 of the rear frame.

From the lower part 2 of the front lower member, there extends a member 11 immediately below the member 10, and to the said member 11 is connected the lower part 7 of the diagonal tube, while the rear end of the member 11 is connected to the part 9 of the upper rear frame.

The upper end of the rear frame 9 is formed, as shown at 12, to slide within or upon the member 8. By this construction, the front part of the framework can have movements relatively to the rear part of the framework about the ball bearing joint 5. In order to control these movements and to insulate the rider from vibration, a pneumatic or other resilient cushioning device is interposed between the first and second inclined members 10 and 11. Inithe drawing at Fig. 1, this cushioning device consists of plates 13, 14 arranged to face each other and respectively fixed to the members 10 and 11. The plates 13, 14: are formed at their edges to receive the bead of the outer cover 15 of a pneumatic cushion, and within the outer cover 15which can either be made in two halves or may have a suitable longitudinal opening-an inner tube 16 (Fig. 2) is provided having a suitable air inlet valve 17 (Fig. 1). Suitable security bolts and plates 18 and 19 are provided for firmly retaining the outer cover to the recess plates 13 and 14, and one of such security bolts may for example be constructed to form the valve by which the in ner tube is inflated.

The sliding joint or guide 12 before mentioned maintains the necessary transverse rigidity of the frame, while the vibrations and shocks received from the road are absorbed. by the pneumatic cushioning device before reaching the rider, the movements of the frame being perfectly free about the ball bearing joint 5 as well as noiseless, and the disadvantages previously experienced in the flexibility in the movements of a frame obtained by means of a joint situated at or immediately close to the bottom bracket, are obviated.

The construction shown at Fig. 3 does not require further explanation, the difference residing in the factthatinstead of the V pneumatic cushion 15 as shown at Figs.

1 and 2, metallic springs 20 are located between the two relatively moving parts of the framework.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Patent is 1. In spring frames for velocipedes, the combination with a forward substantially triangular structure comprising a steeringhead socket and a seat-pillar bracket and a rearward substantially triangular structure comprising a bottom bracket to support the crank axle, and forked members to support the axle of the rear wheel; of a pivotal connection between the lower angle of the forward substantially triangular structure and the forward lower angle of the rearward substantially triangular structure, a telescopic connection between the upper angle of the rearward substantially triangular structure and the upper rearward angle of the forward substantially triangular structure, and means for resiliently distancing the upper angles of the forward and rearward substantially triangular structures.

2. In spring frames for velocipedes, the combination with a forward substantially triangular structure comprising a steeringhead socket and a seat-pillar bracket, and a rearward substantially triangular structure comprising a bottom bracket to support the crank axle, and forked members to support the axle of the rear wheel; of a pivotal c011- nection between the lower angle of the forward substantially triangular structure and the forward lower angle of the rearward substantially triangular structure, a tubular member extending rearwardly and downwardly from said seat-pillar bracket, an upwardly and forwardly extending guide bar connected to the upper angle of the substantially triangular rearward structure, adapted to engage and slide within the said rearwardly extending tubular member on the forward structure, and means for resiliently distancing the upper angles of the forward and rearward substantially triangular structures.

3. In spring frames for velocipedes, the combination with a forward substantially triangular structure comprising a steeringhead socket and a seat-pillar bracket and a rearward substantially triangular structure comprising a bottom bracket to support the crank axle, and forked members to support the axle of the rear wheel; of a pivotal connection between the lower angle of the forward substantially triangular structure and the forward lower angle of the rearward substantially triangular structure, a telescopic connection between the upper angle of the rearward substantially triangular structure and the upper rearward angle of the forward substantially triangular structure, and a pneumatic cushioning device located between the forward and rearward substantially triangular structures adjacent to the said telescopic connection, substantially as set forth.

4. In spring frames for Velocipedes, the combination with a forward structure comprising a steering-head socket, an upper horizontal member extending rearwardly from said socket, a rearwardly and downwardly extending member from said steering socket, a bracket at the lower end of said rearwardly and downwardly extending member, a seat-pillar bracket at the rearward end of said horizontal member, a tubular member extending rearwardly and downwardly from said bracket, a member extending between the bracket at the lower end of the rearwardly and downwardly extending member and the lower end of the tubular member, and a rearward structure comprising a bottom bracket, bearings in the said bracket, a crank shaft carried in said bearings, a member extending forwardly and upwardly from said bottom bracket, a bracket on the end of said member, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined member extending from the latter bracket, a lower forked member extending rearwardly from said bottom bracket to carry the axle of the rear wheel, a forked stay extending upwardly from the rear end of said lower forked member and connecting said lower forked member to the rear end of said upwardly and rearwardly inclined member; of a pivotal connection between the bracket on the lower end of the downwardly extending member of the forward structure and the bracket at the end of the member upwardly extending from the bottom bracket of the rearward structure, a telescopic joint between the rearwardly extending tube at the rearward and upper portion of the forward structure and the upper end of said forked stay of the rearward structure, and elastic means located between the upper rearward end of the forward structure and the upper end of the rearward structure adjacent to said telescopic connection, to resiliently distance the said two structures.

5. In spring frames for velocipedes, the combination with a forward structure comprising a steering-head socket, an upper horizontal member extending rearwardly from said socket, a rearwardly and downwardly extending member from said steer- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ing socket, a bracket at. the lower end of said rearwardly and downwardly extending member, a seat-pillar bracket at the rearward end of said horizontal member, a tubular member extending rearwardly and downwardly from said bracket, a member extending between the bracket at the lower end of the rearwardly and downwardly extending member and the lower end of the tubular member, a downwardly and forwardly inclined member extending from the said seat-pillar bracket and connected to the member extending between the bracket at the lower end of said rearwardly and downwardly extending member and said tubular member, and a rearward structure compris ing a bottom bracket, bearings in the said bracket, a crank shaft carried in said bearings, a member extending forwardly and upwardly from said bottom bracket, a bracket on the forward end of said forwardly and upwardly extending member, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined member extending from the latter bracket, a second upwardly and rearwardly inclined member connecting the bottom bracket to the first-mentioned upwardly and rearwardly extending member, a lower forked member extending rearwardly from said bottom bracket to carry the axle of the rear wheel, and a forked stay extending upwardly from the rear end of said lower forked member; of a pivotal connection between the bracket on the lower end of the downwardly extending member of the forward structure and the bracket at the end of the member upwardly extending from the bottom bracket of the rearward structure, a telescopic joint between the rearwardly extending tube at the rearward and upper portion of the forward structure and the upper end of said forked stay of the rearward structure, and elastic means located between the upper rearward end of the forward structure and the upper end of the rearward structure adjacent to said telescopic connection, to resiliently distance the said two structures.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY ALFRED SHELTON.

Witnesses:

ALFRED HENRY BEARD-BROWN, FRANK JOHN PAINE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

